Fate Works In Strange Ways
by Lychian
Summary: Life after the war was anything but simple, and navigating this new world would take some getting used to. Some want to change the world for better, and some just want to fit in. They'll soon learn that biggest lesson of all is that people tend to find each other in the unlikeliest of ways.
1. Fate Works in Strange Ways

Fate Works in Strange Ways

_A/N: This will be slow burn story, pairing Lucius and Hermoine, with some Draco and Luna romance thrown in as well. Please leave me your feedback, this is my first attempt at a story. Rated M for some future smutty content._

_Disclaimer: None of these characters are owned by me._

_Enjoy!_

A measured clank of boots resounded on the marble floor, predictably garnering sidelong glances from the other guests in the room. Lucius Malfoy never went anywhere without attracting attention, a fact he was well aware of and often nurtured. This, however, was one of the rare times that he felt the burn of gazes comfortable. The friction of the recent war had thrown the MInistry and many of the old wizarding families into upheaval. The popular opinion was those who had sided with the Dark Lord were to be looked at in suspicion, even though those who had not suddenly found it prudent to leave the area had renounced all their wrongdoing. Many of the elder families had gone out of their way to prove their loyalty to the new Ministry, however, several waves of demotions and promotions had tended put those who sided with Order in the war in the top places, while anyone who had even remote ties Voldemort suddenly found themselves less than useful to the Ministry.

As Lucius strode towards the center of the party, his discomfort grew. This evening's Gala was to promote Neville Longbottom's promotion in the Department of International Cooperation. While he would never miss an important ministry function, especially now, Lucious felt a particular discomfort in seeing Longbottom again. What had happened to the boy's parents had been regrettable, but people seemed to hold _him_ somehow responsible, although he had nothing to do with it.

"Lucius" a tall wizard with a solemn bearing greeted him with a purposefully forced smile. The wizard in question, Marius Feldiy, was standing with another wizard and two witches and had been in the midst of congratulating Neville. One of the witches Lucius recognized as she was from an old wizarding family, although hers had not been a supporter of Voldemort, and she had long been a member of the Ministry. Lucius had known Marius a regretfully long time as well, and the two had never gotten on.

As Lucius cooly greeted them, with just the right amount of respect and a distant haughtiness that was his trademark, he noted that none of the circle looked particularly pleased to see him. Neville's eyes glittered with a particular dislike, and he pointedly returned to his cocktail, which was bubbling with smoke and not a small amount of confetti. Taking a martini glass himself from a nearby waiter, Lucius inwardly sighed and looked for a way to smooth the conversation.

The raven-haired witch whom Lucius did not know was the first to break the tense silence. "Tell me Lucius, how is your family faring after the war? I've heard tales that Narissa and Draco found the new climate...too much and have fled the country. Perhaps they have had a hard time adjusting because of their past...proclivities".

"I see why you might think that, however, I can assure you that their current absence has nothing to do with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. My esteemed wife has regretfully begun to find my company trying and has taken a sabbatical from our marriage to contemplate her future. As Draco has not had the chance to finish his education, it was decided that he would accompany her for the summer and obtain private tutelage free of distraction. He does after all wish for high marks on his NEWTS, as his aspirations lie in Ministry employment"

Karia Mully, the other witch, diplomatically jumped in. "We are all quite eager to watch for young Mr. Malfoy's future career progress. His bravery, after recent events, cannot be questioned and I'm sure he will be welcomed at the Ministry".

A warm smile flashed on Lucius face, although he rather thought that if indeed Karia would be happy to see Draco at the Ministry, she would be in the minority. Draco would have much hard work in front of him, and Lucius would work tirelessly to improve his own social graces so that Draco could at least have a fair chance, free from any stigma brought by his father. With a polite bow, Lucius broke away from the group to socialize elsewhere among the party. He did not miss the dark look of understanding that passed between Longbottom and Marius, and he knew he had a long way to go to win over this group.

Harry sat beside the cozy fire at the Burrow, adjusting his silk tie. The rest of the Weasley clan was gathered around the small room, in various states of relaxation. Molly Weasley, the least relaxed of the lot was looking at her watch again, and not only because it kept flashing "LATE" in all red letters. Hermione, the only one of them not already assembled, was taking a very long time to come down the staircase. Ginny had gone up twice now to check on her progress, but Hermione refused to let anyone in.

Straightening imaginary creases on her dress, she looked at her appearance one last time. Auburn locks, which thankfully had lost some of their compulsive frizziness as she entered adulthood had been gracefully pulled back in a style that framed her face, but let the rest cascade elegantly down her back. Not one to ever wear dresses, she nervously tugged at her gown. She did not want to attend tonight's gala, but as a war hero she constantly received invitations to social gatherings ranging from personal invitations from Ministry officials to large events like tonight's gala. Since the war, she had decided to enter the Ministry and was an entry level member of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. While she enjoyed many aspects of her job, she had been feeling frustration with the leadership of her department. The problem was not that her superiors were incapable, she just felt like they cared about the wrong things, and took such a long time debating all the points of new proposals, that it was often months before a new ordinance could take effect. Hermione was many things, but patient was not one of them.

The sound of a polite cough behind her made Hermione turn to see Mr. Weasley at her door. "Are you ready Hermione?", he asked politely.

"Yes, yes I am ready now", a quick glance at the clock made Hermione wince. "I'm sorry if I've kept everyone waiting, the time just disappeared"

A kindly smile touch Mr. Weasley's lips, "Of course not, my dear. Besides, I'm sure the three of you could show up to any event however late you wanted".

"I'm sure you're right, but still…" Hermione trailed off, adjusting the opal, tear-drop shaped gem hanging from her neck. She needed tonight to be a success, if she were to leverage interest in her new idea for her stagnant department.

Mr. Weasley seemed to sense the witch's nervousness, and his calm presence helped her to stop thinking about it so much. "I know many, many people have told you how bright you are, but really, from everything I have seen from you, what I know to be true is that you are capable of changing our world for the better".

While Hermione didn't completely agree with these sentiments, she recognized the fatherly wizard's words with a polite kiss on his cheek. "We'd better get downstairs, Mr. Weasley, before the others leave without us"

An enchanted jazz band played a set of instruments on stage with no musicians, and Lucius whirled his slightly awkward dance partner. An accomplished dancer, he could make any witch who danced with him look more graceful, but Karia had made him work hard to do it. The evening had not improved for him, despite his attempts to socialize. He thought Karia might be pursued to be an ally for him, but she seemed unlikely to make any further moves unless someone else did. While he understood this, it was making things difficult. His gaze traveled about the room again, and noted that Luna Lovegood was among a group of late arriving party-goers.

Bowing graciously to his partner at the end of their dance, Lucius strode purposefully to the bar and picked a neat pour of aged scotch for himself. While everyone thought he was a muggle-hater, and indeed, he had needed to play into that stigma when the Dark Lord was in power, but he quite liked certain muggle items, and this one one of them. With a polite gesture, Lucius obtained a second drink, a concoction which had been enchanted to give off a smoking haze at the top, alternating in various colors. When he appeared at Luna's side, he once again noted the chill he brought to the group. At this particular moment, Luna was standing in a group with Golden Trio, smiling brightly.

"Miss Lovegood, I am pleased to see you again" Lucius extended the smoking cocktail gracefully. The blonde witch paused for a moment, then cautiously accepted the drink.

"I hadn't ever thought to have a conversation with you". The witch's words were gentle, but there was a hardness in her eyes.

Potter chimed in, looking guardedly at Lucius, "And you don't have to have a conversation with him either, if you don't want to Luna".

"Now, now I know I didn't used to run with the best of crowds, and my deepest apologies for what happened to your family, but I can assure you, I have never condoned such violence. I should have been more adamant in my opposition to such actions. I can never change that, but rest assured, it weighs on my soul daily" Lucius responded.

The muggle born witch, Granger, spoke up with a bitter tone "Then you shouldn't have ever chosen that side". As she finished, Longbottom strode up to join the conversation, putting a hand on Hermione's shoulder and glaring at Lucius.

"Indeed Miss Granger, I quite agree. I intend to spend the rest of my life proving that very point to the Ministry and whole of the wizarding world"

Shaking her head, her lips twisting into a frown, Hermione responded "Some things can't be atoned for Mr. Malfoy"

Luna had remained quiet throughout this whole exchange, but Lucius had not noticed her arm extended towards him. As he looked at her hand, he spotted her a tiny creature, a horse-like, prancing thing, about the size of a toy. The bright pink creature sniffed at the air towards him, then playfully tossed its tiny hind legs at the air towards him, even though it was several inches away on her palm. At this Luna smiled and said "Haiku likes you, maybe you do deserve a chance.''

Lucius was inwardly aghast that his social fate should be decided by a tiny pink horse, but smoothly inclined his head toward the creature in a respectful nod. While Luna might be convinced, the rest of the young crowd did appear so. It was troublesome indeed to have such inexperienced young people in such high places, his usual methodology of politics would do him no good here. Wishing them well, he bade them good night, and strode towards the entrance to the floo network. He had a lot of thinking to do about how to help his current state, and he was starting to despair. How could he get his new peers to accept him? An entitled part of him smoldered that anyone would dare question him, Lucius Malfoy, but he stopped himself. He would have to keep his ego in check if ever wanted to succeed in this new climate.

At the end of the evening, Hermione arrived back to her small flat, tired but wanting a bit of a nightcap before the night was over. She tidied up her immaculate kitchen, and set out some glasses. Presently she heard the pops of apparating wizards and witches, and Harry, Ginny, Luna, and Neville appeared in her living room. She smiled broadly and welcomed them in, conjuring over glasses of Fire Whiskey for her friends.

"That was quite a successful event" Neville said, settling into a chair and smiling at Hermione.

"I am very relieved to have been able to speak with Marius about some of the ideas for my department. He seemed quite keen on some of them, the House Elf project in particular, and promised to bring it up to the Minister himself" Hermione said with excitement.

Neville smiled further at the brunette witch, his eyes peering at her intensely "And I will help you as well Hermione, I have a meeting with the Minister tomorrow to go over my new appointment and have an overview of my department. I can bring up your House Elf idea then".

Shaking her head, Hermione clucked in alarm "Oh no, I couldn't ask you to trouble both yourself and the Minister with that, you should concentrate on your first day and getting used to your new role"

"It's not a trouble at all, I'm sure it will only take a moment" Neville insisted. Something about the way he looked at her made Hermione feel uneasy, but she relented. She would have to keep an eye on Neville. After the war, she had had no shortage of interested wizards and witches, but she had found that her experiences with Ron had soured her mood on romance for the time being. Besides, she'd need all her time and energy to go towards her work, and wouldnt have time for anything serious.

"What about you Luna, I heard you have a project in the works as well?" Harry asked. Luna worked in the same department as Hermione, but focused on bringing awareness to the lesser known and more odd creatures of the wizarding world.

"Oh yes, well...I couldn't help but notice that there are many, many fascinating creatures that most of our world don't even know exist. I just want them to be appreciated by our kind, they deserve that" Luna said airily, her eyes drifting far away as she watched Haiku prance about on a nearby table.

"That's a great idea Luna" Ginny chimed in, the others nodding in agreement.

Looking disgruntled, Harry muttered "I hope that Malfoy didn't scare the little horse too badly"

"He's a Purlog actually, even though he looks like a little horse, his physiology is closer to that of a small rodent. You know, he was the opposite of frightened, he seemed to really like Lucius Malfoy. It makes me wonder if there is more to him that we think" Luna murmured.

The rest of them all shared a look, they were too polite to tell Luna, but there was no way Lucius Malfoy was anything more than scheming ex-Death Eater.

Climbing the alabaster staircase, Draco gazed out at the calm water that bordered the keep to one side. This place was serene, quiet, and majestic. Draco hated it, he missed being surrounded by people. Absolutely an extrovert, he found his sudden near solitude overwhelming. Reaching the top of the staircase, he whistled for his owl to come down and tied a message to its foot. The owl took off with a playful screech and he watched in envy as it disappeared past the shoreline.

After the end of the war, Narcissa had insisted that they retreat from their home and travel to a distant relative's. She had told him that they needed space and time to find their place in the new world. Draco had quite the argument with her when he informed her that _he _did not need to go with because he knew what he wanted and where his place was. Unfortunately, he had not graduated yet, and was forced to go with her if he ever wanted her to sign the required form so he could take his NEWTS. The truth was, it was his mother that did know _who_ she was, he thought. While she tried to blame Lucius, the truth was, she had wrapped her identity to far in to being the wife, sister and friend to Death Eaters, and she did not know what to do with her life with him gone. Draco thought she missed Voldemort, not because of the terrible things he did, because she was not a cruel person, but because when he was around, it had been easy to know her status and her decisions where all but made for her.

As he sulked back down the staircase, he thought of the owl that was on its way back to Hogwarts. He had written to inform Professor McGonagall that his studies were at an end and he would be ready to take his NEWTS at the earliest opportunity. The knowledge that he should be able to leave shortly gave him some optimism, but did nothing for his sour mood.


	2. House Elves and Unwhals

Chapter 2: House Elves and Unwhals

_A/N: Thank you everyone for the reviews so far. Events are starting to be set in motion in this chapter, so let me know what you think_

The elevator seemed to be going slower than normal, it seemed to Lucius as he smiled and nodded to a group of three wizards and witch entering the elevator at floor three. Many years of strict control allowed him to retain his usual poise, but his insides squirmed uncomfortably, a feeling he was not used to. Other people got nervous, but not him. This put him in quite the fowl mood, and he knew he would have to do something to blow off some steam later.

Voices drifted down the hall as Lucius approached the meeting room of floor four, and he turned the corner to see the wizards and witches he was to meet with already there. As he was never late, Lucius had arrived ten minutes early to the meeting and it displeased him to think of the implications of them meeting early without him. Politely greeting them, he settled into a chair and summoned a cup of espresso to sip on.

"Good morning Lucius" Marius greeted him, looking concerningly smug. The others greeted him as well and Lucius cooly gazed around the table.

Neville Longbottom cleared his throat, bringing the meeting to order. "Welcome everyone. As you know, although my new position does not normally work directly with you, part of my new management training is to make sure that we are working as cohesively as we can with the other departments. To that end, Marius has invited me to this meeting today, so that I can provide additional insight to a couple of projects that this department is considering."

As a small wizard with many freckles began a briefing of his proposed project, Lucius quietly contemplated the state of affairs. He knew that he would be asked to take part in one of the projects, and it was pivotal that his involvement have a positive impact. He had had to pull his few remaining strings to ensure that he was able to be involved in the meeting here today, and it had come at the price of his agreement that he would do whatever was asked. This was his chance to demonstrate that he was devoted to the new order. He just hoped that whatever task he was saddled with wouldn't be too distasteful. As the first wizard finished speaking, he saw Luna stand up to speak and Lucius tuned in to listen.

"As part of my mission to help all magical creatures be appreciated and respected by our kind, I've found a species in the Northern coast that is simply..amazing" Luna's blue eyes were both sharp and far away at the same time and she talked animatedly "They are called Unwhals, and they look like tiny narwhals. About the size of a house cat, their horns can change color, and depending on what color their horn is when they touch you, the can heal injuries, cause you to laugh for hours, make you feel like you have been hugged by teddy bear and many other amazing properties. I want to see if we can safely transport them to our hospitals, I think they can be a great comfort to the sick and injured, especially children"

Sitting up slightly, Lucius felt the time was right to chime in. This project would be easy, and he could pull some strings at St. Mungos, all while getting in the good graces of Luna who was well known and could help his social status "What a perfectly inventive idea Luna, you know I have some experien-"

Before he could get any further, Neville broke in "How kind of you to volunteer Mr. Malfoy, however, I believe I could lend great assistance to Ms. Lovegood with this"

"Actually Neville" Luna broke in, while Lucius seethed inwardly and sipped his espresso. "I had rather hoped to have some former schoolmates assist me. Headmistress McGonagall let me know that some students in my year would be taking their NEWTS soon and that I might be able to select one of them when they return to the school for testing"

The quiet, middle-aged wizard a the head of the table smiled patriarchally. Jarrett Coldpress was the head of the department, and preferred to appear to make a great many important decisions, but actually rarely did any useful work. "That's a splendid idea Luna, please proceed"

As Luna smiled happily, Hermione rearranged a stack of papers in front of her and stepped forward to start explaining her project. "What I would like to propose today is a project to help the house elves to reacclimate after the war. As you know, a house elf's entire life up to this point has been to serve the purebred family that they belong to. After the war, a number of these house elves have been released into freedom voluntarily. Others have not been so lucky. I know that Neville is heading up formal legislation to free the remaining house elves, and have no doubt that it will be successful due to current social pressures."

Neville nodded earnestly as the witch went on. "The problem we are currently facing is that the house elves are having a hard time adapting and flourishing. We all know of their powerful innate magical abilities, and they are undoubtedly intelligent. We need, and I consider it our duty, to give them some training, education, and instruction on social interactions so that they can live the way that they so deserve. And before you say that it's a waste of time, or of money, ask yourselves how many of them laid down their lives for their masters for centuries, serving faithfully. They truly deserve this chance, more than any being I know.

Eyes glowing passionately, Hermione stared at the room in a silent challenge to refute her argument. Jarret, the department head broke in "Well, you have some vali-"

"Hermione's plan is exactly the example that we want to set heading into this new era." Neville spoke up, in a confident tone. "My superiors will be looking for projects such as these, and so will I. Those departments who are not similarly aligned in bringing forth such ideas are in danger of being regarded as...archaic. As would their leadership"

"Of course" Jarret nodded, his manner was casual, but his complexion had gone quite pale. "I had been about to say actually that Ms. Granger had some valid points and I support this idea completely"

A flash of relief flashed briefly across Hermione's face, and she continued on. "I have a full plan available for the review of the department, and you as well Neville. The only detail that I have not been able to resolve on my own is that I need a place where the elves would feel comfortable to conduct this training. I'm afraid a typical classroom setting would put them at unease and distract their ability to learn"

"Might I offer a suggestion?" offered Marius, who's self-indulgent smile was even wider now. "Lucius has a large estate, currently nearly vacant, that could be an excellent setting for this endeavour. The size of his library is legendary, and his current staff of house elves would put the new pupils at ease"

Aghast, it took every ounce of control Lucius had to remain calm. Hermione looked just as alarmed and fairly blurted out. "Oh that would not work at all, you see, I'd need to stay with them at all times during the initial phases of this project. There are many variables, and it will take much support to truly give the house elves the help that they need."

"Actually my dear, I believe that Mr. Malfoy has ample space to supply you with lodging as well." Marius looked pointedly at Lucius "And after all, what better way to prove to everyone, beyond a doubt, that you are a changed man, than by helping with this project?"

The blond wizard knew that he was cornered, there was no way to refuse this request and come out ahead. The thought of manor swarming with house elves that did not answer to him was alarming and he wondered how many priceless antiques would be lost in this endeavour. He risked a quick glance at Granger, and wondered what it would be like to have someone so...different from him living in his Manor. The passion she holds for her latest project was admirable, but they had nothing in common and he hoped that she would not be too argumentative with him during her stay.

"Indeed,'' replied Lucius solemnly, " and I have every wish to prove my support for the new Ministry policies. However, I scarcely feel as though Ms. Granger has any desire to spend time under my roof."

Neville looked alarmed at this "Herm-"

"I think that Mr. Malfoy's offer is most kind, and I agree that his estate could provide all of the necessities to ensure that this is a successful project" the brunette witch smiled confidently, catching Neville's eye in a reassuring way. Lucius was impressed with her cunning, she had figured out very quickly that his Manor would an ideal setting for the house elves. Unfortunately.

"That settles the affairs of all of the projects for today then" Jarret finished, sounding important, but fidgeting as if he wished for this meeting to be over all ready.

Lucius stood, poised as ever, and bid everyone a good day. As he strolled out towards the elevator, he held the door for Hermione and Luna. As the doors closed and they descended, he caught Hermione's eye. Blushing suddenly, she struck up an animated conversation with Luna. Once outside the Ministry, Lucius apparated back to the manor, contemplating the best way to deal with this inconvenience. Because he must endure this invasion, he need to ensure that happened as much as possible on his terms.

Morning light dawned bright and clear, and Luna appreciated the comfort of the warm sun as she walked to the portkey that she kept outside her small home. After the war, she had settled into a small cottage that was a bit off the beaten path. She had put a lot of work into transforming it into a home, growing elaborate flower gardens which were often shaped in complex arrangements to resemble the magical creatures that she loved so. Humming softly, she held out her hand and lowered it so that Haiku could jump upon her open palm. As she reached the portkey (a beaten wooden garden gnome with the paint chipping), she arrived just outside the Hogwarts grounds. Today was the day that she was to meet with Minerva, and discuss which NEWT graduate would be the best choice to aid her in her studies. As she approached Minerva's door, it swung open and the Headmistress strode purposefully down the hall.

"Minerva" Luna called brightly, "I'm here to see you"

A friendly smile interrupted McGonagall's stern features as she greeted the fae witch. "Luna, my dear, it's a delight to see you. Come, walk with me, I am on my way to oversee the NEWT exams."

"Thank you Headmistress" Luna settled into step next to her former professor. 'It is ever so wonderful to see you again. Do you have many students taking the exams today?"

"Well, only a half a dozen this time. I've been holding the exams monthly ever since we were able to get the school functioning once again. I find it my duty to ensure that any student who would normally have been able to take the exam, has the opportunity now that the struggle with Voldemort is over. Now, I know you are here to select an assistant, but there is one in particular that I suggest most strongly to you"

"How fascinating, I'm sure whoever you recommend will do quite well" Luna's bright smile grew wider

"You may be less than pleased when I tell you whom it is" McGonagall stopped in her tracks, turning to the Luna. "Now, hear me out. Most students have some idea what they want to do at this point. But young Mr. Malfoy, has had particular trouble, which I am sure can be attributed to recent events. He is far too proud to admit it, but I believe he simply does not know what to do now that so much of his life has changed. I know you may find it uncomfortable to spend time with him, and if you believe it would be best to find someone else, I can certainly recommend another student. I just think this may go a long ways towards fixing a rift in our world between those whose families fought on either side."

Luna chewed her bottom lip, feeling some trepidation, but nodded slowly. "I'll accept, so long as Haiku also approves" McGongall's face creased in confusion, and Luna brought out the tiny prancing pony. "He's very bright, but is very picky about who he likes. I've found anyone he doesn't like isn't someone I enjoy spending time around". This was an understatement as Haiku had met the Carrows, and certainly did not like them, but Luna had never hated anyone.

A lock of curly hair fell across Hermione's eyes as she packed up the rest of the belongings that she would need to take to the Malfoy manor. The quietness in her small flat made her feel lonesome, which was odd because normally she enjoyed the solitude. Harry had offered to come over and help her prepare, and unfortunately, so had Neville. Politely refusing both of them, she had explained that she needed some time to herself. Ever since it had been decided that she would be living under the Malfoys' roof, her thoughts had been spinning and she had needed to take rather more anti-anxiety potion than she normally did. Memories of what had happened in that house were never far from her, and in fact, she had been seeing someone to help manage her emotions about it. Even though logically she knew that no harm would befall her there, she couldn't help the stab of fear she felt on and off throughout the day. If only the Manor was not the perfect setting for hosting the house elves.

Finishing up her arrangements, she moved Crookshanks' toys and food dish off to the side. She knew there was no way Lucius Malfoy would allow her to bring a pet along, so she was having Molly watch him for a few months. There was no way to anticipate how long her project would take, and Malfoy had set no deadlines for how long his offer would extend. She wondered yet again what it would be like to share a space with someone who had, by all accounts, a completely different personality than hers and who probably held some very conflicting viewpoints. She was willing to overlook his past since everyone deserves a second chance, but she wondered what they could possible find in common. Sighing heavily, she poured herself a glass of cabernet, and reviewed her lessons plans for the elves one last time. She would just have to make the best of things, and if she just concentrated on helping the elves, the time would go by quickly. Or so she hoped.

Scratches of quills on parchment filled the air, and Draco breathed deeply in relief as he set his quill down. This was it, the last of the NEWTS, and he was more than ready to move on. Straightening haughtily, he strode to McGonagall's desk and set down his exam paper. It was really a shame that the position of Headmaster had not gone to a Slytherin, or really anyone else, as he and the stern professor had never gotten on well. As she looked up from her papers, he smirked at her, turning on the full Malfoy disdain. Clearing her throat, she continued to gaze at him, as if daring him make some quippy comment. With a wave of her wand, she cast the grading spell, and with a brief pause relayed his marks. He had done well, better even than he anticipated and he felt the corners of his lips curve up despite himself. "Congratulations Mr. Malfoy, you should be proud of what you've accomplished"

The urge to respond in sarcasm was nearly unavoidable, but he managed to simply nod in return. As he turned his back to leave, she stopped him. "Wait Mr. Malfoy, I have one last item I wish to discuss with you. How would you feel about taking part in a research project"

Draco frowned, he was not exactly the "bookish type" and couldn't fathom months of dull research, trapped indoors. "My father would prefer that I work towards a position with the Ministry"

"Actually, Mr. Malfoy, the research project, although it would require some travel, would be in the company of a Ministry officials, and there could be some opportunity there for a more permanent role in that department"

The blond wizard thought about this for a moment. While he was reluctant to sign up for some boring and inane project, this could be the perfect excuse to give to his mother as to why he could not return to living with her. And if it required travel, maybe he would not be stuck in such boring circumstance as he first feared. Then there was thought of getting in with the Ministry. Draco knew that both parents expected him to end up in the Ministry somewhere. McGonagall had not mentioned what department the research would be for, but once he had a Ministry appointment, he could always elect to transfer to a different division if he disliked the one he was in. Nodding slowly, he agreed to the undertaking. "As long as no manual labor is required"

As he watched the stern witch smile, he wondered if there was not something more to her expression. He strode out of the classroom, a piece of parchment in hand that contained the date, time and location of where he should report to meet his companion for travel. He'd better round up some old acquaintances for a proper send-off on the town before he left.

Striking a match, Lucius lit up his filigreed pipe and looked around his sitting room. From his seat on grand, hand-carved chair, he surveyed the room in some satisfaction. The last two days had been a flurry of activity that tired him greatly as he had prepared to receive these unwelcome guests. He found it amusing, though he suspected Ms. Granger would not, that he had needed to make his current staff of house elves work around the clock in order to properly clean and arrange the house to the point he deemed acceptable. Normally pristine, the house now had not a smudge anywhere.

A firm knocking on his door sounded, and he heard Whispy begin to show the visitors to his sitting room. Extinguishing the pipe, he glided up to greet his guests.

"Good Morning" Hermione greeted him in a determined voice.

Smiling, Lucius gracefully inclined his head in a bow "Good Morning to you, my dear. I trust you journey was pleasant" He spared a glance at Marius who had accompanied her.

"It was quite ordinary, thank you for asking" the petite witch said politely, but her hands had a slight tremor, belaying her nervousness.

"We should like to inspect the proposed quarters for the house elves" Marius put in, looking unfriendly.

Hermione straightened up, looking eager at the suggestion. "Yes we should see that their rooms are properly equipped.

"But of course, follow me if you please" Lucius strode down the hallway, thinking about how every second Marius remained in his home was a second too long. Opening the large double doors to the converted house elf lodging, he turned to catch their expressions. The room had been outfitted to accommodate many house elves, and each would have a private room leading off from the main room. The common area was large, and well-appointed, with low shelving and furniture a house elf could comfortably reach. While the individual rooms took up much space, he had enchanted the area to give it a feeling of smallness so that it did not seem overwhelming. He was particularly pleased with the result, especially given that it had taken several tries to master.

Hermione's face lit up in an impressive smile, and Lucius noted that the witch had grown into her features, notably her teeth and ears now fit the rest of her face. It was rather a nice looking face, he thought, then mentally shook himself for even noticing. "This is so thoughtful" she breathed "the house-elves will be so comfortable here. Thank you for the effort that you went to for them"

"I never do things half-way Ms. Granger, I am quite passionate about taking pride in my work" Lucius noted in amusement that he did not allow to show that Marius looked like he had just been forced to eat a large toad.

While Hermione enthusiastically inspected various parts of the house quarters, Marius shot a dirty work at Lucius. "Well I see you have things well in hand. The creatures will arrive tomorrow morning, a tad bit on the early side, so I do hope you are an early riser."

'But of course, I find some of the most productive business happens in the scant hours of the morning" Lucius returned

Marius flashed a sneer in reply, then turned to walk over to Hermione, who was still checking the furnishings. "Ms. Granger, I leave you now in the care of Mr. Malfoy. I'm quite sure he will manage to provide the appropriate hospitality, but send an owl at once should he not"

"Thank you, Mr. Feldiy, everything looks to be in order, and I shall inquire with Mr. Malfoy if I want for anything."

Marius had begun turning on his heel almost before she finished speaking and did a sideways incline of his head instead of a full bow. For all he is a purebred wizard, he lacked even the barest hint of courtesy, Lucius thought. Hermione seemed oblivious however, and he wondered if the young woman even knew she had been snubbed. Taking the opportunity to show the witch what real manners where, he bowed low and kissed the top of her hand. He was surprised how soft her creamy skin, and her wrist smelled slightly floral with a tantalizing hint of mysterious muskiness. Pulse quickening, he straightened again, wondering what was wrong with him. While his virility could not be questioned, he had carefully compartmentalized it since the war, and had not taken any women to his bed since Narcissa had left. Actually, it had been over a year since the last time he had indulged in such carnal desires, but he had ways of finding release, with his hand if he had to.

"Come, let me show you to your quarters, I"m sure you'll be wanting to get settled in" Lucius smiled gracefully at her, and noted a faint pink blush had broken through her composure.

"Of course, I have so much to do to get ready for all of the house elves. I really have to thank you again for care you took in preparing your home."

"It was not trouble at all my dear, in fact, I quite enjoyed the task" he stated smoothly as he led her up the mahogany staircase.

"You enjoyed it?" Hermione's face creased in disbelief.

Letting out a humored chuckled Lucius fired back, upset at the preconceived ideas the young witch had about him, "Do you think that the head of the Malfoy family would not deign to clean, much less enjoy it? Or do you think I roam around flashing the dark mark at frightened witches all day"

Blushing more deeply this time, Hermione looked embarrassed. "Of course not, I'm sorry if I offended you. I only meant that you don't seem the..type"

"And what, pray tell" Lucius leaned forward as she passed in front of him to enter the doorway to her room "Do my type of people enjoy doing?" He was close enough that she had to look up at him to catch his eyes and Lucius shuddered in spite of himself at her closeness. Angry at himself, he regained control, and was relieved to see that Hermione didn't seem to have noticed.

Pressing her chin up gently, he held the young witch's gaze for a moment, staring into her dark chestnut eyes and she murmured "I'm not sure I can even guess"

Bowing low, he moved to close the door behind him, but paused and turned. "I can tell you one thing my type does enjoy, is eating a delicious meal while in the company of an intelligent witch. Please join me at 6:00 this evening for dinner."


	3. Learning to Dance

Chapter 3

_A/N Thank you everyone for the reviews so far. It's very encouraging to know people are enjoying the story so far! I'll keep updating this every week, so you won't have to wait long for the next installments. Enjoy things heating up a bit. _

Draco's London Flat

Too loud, everything was too loud, Draco thought as he stared dismally out his window to the trio of happily chirping birds. With a glare, he cast a dampening spell to shut out the noise, and dimmed the window for good measure. Groaning, he looked at his clock and shook his head when he saw he had exactly fifteen minutes to get ready and take the floo to the coffee shop at the end of Diagon Alley where he would be meeting the project leader. He hoped whomever it was did not want to talk excessively today, because his head was pounding in waves of pain. He briefly thought about stopping in at the Pungent Potion for some hangover cure, but he simply did not have the time. Summoning what felt like all of his strength, he hastily pulled on some clothes, and within a few minutes was jumping into the network.

The coffee shop was also much too bright, but Draco concentrated on not screwing his face up into a squint as he searched around for his new companion. It would have helped if the parchment had left any sort of description. He wondered vaguely why it hadn't as he caught sight of a familiar face. Was that Luna Lovegood? He hadn't seen her since the war. Although she was a Ravenclaw, Draco had always thought she had the potential to be a Slytherin. It was too bad her family was ill-regarded, or he might have attempted to get to know her. He continued to wander the shop, until a polite pull on sleeve caused him to turn around.

"Hallo" said Luna, her saucer eyes staring up at him.

Draco raised an eyebrow in surprise, what could the witch want? "May I help you?" he asked in an impolite but not unfriendly tone.

"Well it's usually polite to greet someone before you set off on an expedition with them"

Had Draco not been so well trained in etiquette, his jaw would have actually hit the floor. "Do you mean..er..are you..? You can't be the Ministry member who is off to study magical creatures?" Even as he said the words, he knew what the answer was.

Smiling brightly, Luna confirmed his sudden suspicion. "Oh dear, did Headmistress MacGonagall not tell you that I am the one heading the project? It's going to be a brilliant project, quite excellent really"

Draco suppressed a frown and remembered that he needed this project to go well if he wanted to get into the Ministry. "She must have skipped that, but I was just surprised to see you again. Shall we get underway."

A charming smile lit Luna's face, and she hooked an arm under Draco's and walked him towards the back of the shop. Part of Draco was mortified by her over-familiarity, but the other part was glad to have some support because he still felt like absolute shit. She led them to the kitchen, and she was still holding his arm as she reached up to the tallest shelf and picked up the world's grimiest coffee mug. The tug on his stomach as they were yanked forward nearly caused him to vomit, but he looked around to see they were now in grey copse of trees, surrounded by mist.

As he resisted the urge to collapse in pain, Luna gently tugged him forward. "This way silly, we have to board the train before it leaves"

"The portkey didn't take us straight there?" Draco groaned.

"Of course not, we are going somewhere far too desolate for that. We'll need to take the muggle train."

This was going to be a very long day, and Draco lamented the fact that he wouldn't even be able to cast an anti-headache charm once they boarded the train.

As luck would have it, they reached the train just as boarding was finishing up. This was some comfort for Draco as the only thing worse than being on a train with muggles would have been waiting several hours to get on a train with muggles. Luna handed over their boarding passes and the two found a compartment to settle into with their bags. Being on a train again felt rather nostalgic to Draco. He would never admit it, but he always found the train ride to Hogwarts an exciting time, full of the promise of the future. Being a Slytherin, he had to act composed of course, but there was a secret, light-hearted side of him that just wished he could show his enthusiasm. Mulling this over, he soon drifted into relieved sleep.

Malfoy Manor

With a soft sigh, Hermione collapsed on the bed in her temporary new room. Her eyes felt so heavy, she could barely keep them open, it had definitely been a long day so far. The preparations for the house elf arrival involved a lot of coordinating, and there had been a few last minute issues that she had needed to solve before she could return to her new quarters to prepare for dinner. The thought of cleaning up and joining Lucius Malfoy for dinner was an especially unpleasant prospect, and she would much rather catch up on sleep. The behavior of her host was perplexing, she didn't know him very well admittedly, but she had thought he would drag his feet to help out house elves. Maybe he was planning to sabotage her efforts, the anxious part of her thought.

Shaking her head, she started to pry herself off the bed so she could pick out an outfit. No, she thought, he really seemed genuine. She would, however, keep a close eye on him. She would try to have an open mind while she was here, but really how much in common could she have with a former Death Eater? The best case scenario here was that they could find some polite small talk to discuss, while steering away from any..difficult subjects.

A short time later, Hermione found herself in the vast dining room of the Malfoy manor, appreciating the well-appointed furnishings. Dark wood paneling on the walls perfectly matched the long table in the middle, and a rich scarlet rug covered the floor. The room was warmed by a number of candles and the enchanted skylight in the center reflected an uncommonly starry sky. Finding her host absent, she tucked in her skirt to take a seat. She briefly wondered if this was an attempt to intimidate her, but she stopped herself, noting that since the war she had been prone to suspicion.

"Ms. Granger" a silky voice interrupted her thoughts. "Apologies for my tardiness, I had to make some last minute adjustments to the manor's security systems that I had overlooked earlier".

She smiled politely at him, but with a crease of worry. "Nothing too difficult to work around I hope. Perhaps I should go loo-"

"Not to worry, my dear, I have corrected the error. I know you'll want to know the details, there is an enchantment in the layers of defense that would have immediately put any house elves who are not of my employ and who are attempting to apparate into the manor directly into my dungeon."

Her eyes grew wide in surprise. "You have a dungeon?"

Chuckling in an annoying way, Lucius replied "My dear, all old wizarding homes, and many new ones for that matter, have dungeons. I have only used it a handful of times, and it was quite deserved when I did."

A weight settled deep in Hermione's stomach, as she thought of the time she had spent in the Manor. She was pulled out of her thoughts when Lucius' house elf placed a carefully prepared plate of food in front of her. Looking up aghast, she had to let Lucius know that she could not possibly have house elves waiting on her hand and food while she was trying to teach them to be independent.

Before she could say anything, Lucius, having noticed her expression, spoke up. "Ms. Granger, I admire your mission here and you have my full support. But I've lived in this Manor all my life, and I am used to certain comforts."

"But, but I can't possibly accept help from your house elves. You must understand, I am to teach them how to function on their own, to become employable for their merits and to be accepted as masters of their craft and not as slaves."

"I understand your position, my dear, but change takes time in our world. Especially with families as old as mine. Speaking of that, I am having hosting a dinner party in a couple weeks time. It seems that Longbottom is eager to have you show off the Ministry's newest work and has invited many of the wizarding families with...well-established house elves to see the fruits of your labor."

Hermione felt the color drain from her face. Not only was she worried about teaching the house elves, but now it could all go disastrously wrong if she didn't manage to have made visible progress in just a handful of days. Seeming to catch on to her alarm, Lucius continued. "I will of course, ensure that the party is well-appointed. Social gatherings are somewhat of my speciality. These will be older families, so there is some etiquette that I find I must teach you if this is to go well. And it is of great concern to me that it does."

The first thought that flashed through her mind was suspicion about why Lucius would care so much about this event, but she decided it must be to maintain his image. Then she thought in alarm about what sort of customs she would be expected to know. She had precious little experience with wizarding society. "What sorts of things will you be wanting to teach me?"

Leaning forward, Lucius gripped her with icy eyes in way that caught her breath. "Do you know how to dance?"

"Absolutely not, I am not going to waste time learning how to waltz when I don't even have enough time for the house-elves."

Lucius leaned forward even further, and she could smell the cloying, musky scent of his cologne. "You didn't answer my question, do you know how to dance?"

"Of course I know" she said impatiently.

"I don't mean the two step from your first Yule ball, do you know how to dance?" He lowered his tone almost menacingly and for the first time she noticed just how sexual his voice could sound. She was sure he used it to his advantage, but it would not work on her.

Pulling her head high, she used her most confident tone "I know well enough"

"Show me then" He rose from his chair, and before she knew it, had pulled her to her feet. "Dance with me"

A flourish of hand, and a slow song started to play. Lucius pulled her close to him, so close she could feel the rippling of his muscles beneath his shirt. As the song winded along in a sultry classical song, he began to move across the floor. She had not danced since Hogwarts, and barely then, but she thought she could keep up. But the way he dipped and swayed, pulling her along with him was beyond any dancing she had ever done. She tried to concentrate on watching the complicated patterns of his footwork, but the firm, masculine motions and way he held her made it hard to concentrate. The last notes of the song ended, and they stood motionless, eyes locked. He was so close, and when he bent his head towards her, she thought for an instant he would kiss her. A thrill she couldn't control wound through her body and for a moment she hoped he would. Instead, with his lips so close to ear that they almost touched her skin, he whispered "That won't do at all"

Indignantly, she broke away from his hold, stepping back "I'll take lessons on one condition"

"Oh." He said slowly, arching an eyebrow elegantly. "And what are your terms, Ms. Grangerl"

"That I will teach you how to cook for yourself so that your house elf can learn with the others."

"I'm afraid I'm a busy man, I regretfully will not have the time" He did his best to look apologetic, but she could see right past that bit of foolery.

"Then I won't learn the dance, and will trip over my two left feet" She knew she would have him with that.

His eyes narrowed, stormy and he was silent for a moment, then for some reason, he laughed.

Taking great offense to him laughing at her, she turned to storm out of the dining room. She was completely done spending time with this insufferable man.

He grabbed her arm as she stalked past "My dear, I am not making fun of you, I had just been thinking that the Sorting Hat very clearly put you in the wrong house."

Not willing to forgive him just yet, she yanked her arm free of his grip. "I'll be free in the late afternoon tomorrow to teach you how to cook supper, you may give me my first dance lesson after, and only after."

With that, she stomped out of the room and back to her temporary quarters. That man, how dare he? But truthfully, she was angry with herself. She hadn't even noticed she was attracted to Lucius until the dancing brought them so close. She had not been attracted to a man in a very long time, and she certainly was not going to choose now, with a man who had such an unfavorable reputation. She needed a nice bath and read the book on house elf ancestry for a while to calm down, and she would absolutely not think about Lucius Malfoy any more than evening.

Cabin Somewhere on the Northern Coast

Rays of dawn sunlight spread through the moor, and the light chirping of the birds was a pleasant setting for Luna's morning. She sat on the porch of the hut that they would be staying in while studying the Unwhals, in a protected, heavily forested area just a short distance from the coast. She had needed to wake in the wee hours of the morning to ensure she had time to put up enough enchantments around the house and surrounding clearing to ensure that no Muggles could stumble upon them. It had been hard work, which would have gone faster if Draco had been awake to help her, but he was out cold even still. Luna didn't mind this terribly, it gave her time to sip her morning coffee. The country was picturesque and she enjoyed watching Haiku caper in the field while the sun came up.

A sound behind her made her turn, and Draco was wandering through the doorway, looking confused and quite charmingly unkempt. His blond hair, normally perfectly styled, stuck up multiple directions and his chin was covered in a couple days worth of stubble. "Whermay?"

"Excuse me?" said Luna, chuckling softly.

The blond wizard gave her a most cantankerous look and repeated, extra slowly as if she were a child "Wheereee Ammm Iiiii?

"Oh that" Luna said, ignoring his jibe. "Welcome to your home for these next few weeks"

"I can see I'm in some sort of residence you dolt, where exactly am I?" Draco said peevishly.

"Someone awoke on the wrong side of the bed." Said Luna good-naturedly, aware that the wizard was just tired and confused. "You're a very short walk from the Northern coast, about two miles from Mugbane"

"If you'd just told me straight away, I wouldn't have had to be snippy with you." Draco told her, but then paused as he looked at her. "I'm sorry though".

"You'll feel better after some coffee, there's more on counter of the kitchen" She watched as the wizard nodded and went inside.

When he came back out, mug in hand, he seemed to be watching her out of the corner of his eye as he sank into a nearby chair. "Thank you for the coffee"

"You're quite welcome" Luna settled into a comfortable silence, as they each sipped their coffee. She thought of the day ahead, and the preparations to be made before they could actually go to the coast in search of the Unwhals.

"You must care a lot about this" he said, breaking the silence.

"Yes, yes I do very much" She said breathily, confused. "How did you know?"

The Malfoy smirk spread over his face then, and he touched her chin gently "You bite your lip when you're thinking"

Luna blushed faintly, and smiled at him. She'd never told anyone, but she had always found Draco quite handsome. Everyone thought she hated the Malfoys, so no one ever actually asked her opinion on the family. Truthfully, she did not blame them for anything that happened, and she could just tell they were good people. Besides having Haiku's intuition, she had always had a knack for sensing these things. While they had much work to do while they were , she also couldn't help but think this might be a chance to get to know the mysterious Malfoy heir a little bit better.

"Will you help me dig some ponds and enchant them with temperature and protection spells today?" she asked softly, still smiling.

A look of displeasure crossed Draco's face, and he scowled into his coffee mug. But he looked back at her, and almost smiled "Well alright, but I reserve the right to hex your shovel if you dig faster than me"

Malfoy Manor

Lucius Malfoy's feet hurt. Actually his whole body hurt, and he was not having a good day. Well, that wasn't wholly true, he thought, although he would never admit this aloud. Sure, the day had started out abysmally, with Marius accidently sending the house elves much earlier than promised. Luckily Ms. Granger was ever prepared and had been awake and ready. Then, there was sorting all the house elves out, settling into their quarters, feeding them, showing them how to ask for things, and where to go for various needs. This had been exhausting for Lucius, and much more labor intensive than he preferred. Worse, the house elves kept punishing themselves for being there and it had taken them most of the day to calm their nerves. His pale hands even had slight burn marks from when he had shoved them under an iron to keep a house elf from burning his own hands.

Why had he even been helping at all? He could just as easily secluded himself in his own chambers, and let Ms. Granger sort it out herself, perhaps sending Whispy to clean up the mess later. But no, he had known from the moment the witch had looked at him, an expression of panic and determination at the same time, that he would be helping. And now he was on his way to a cooking lesson. Malfoys, for generations, had not cooked or lifted one finger around the house and he saw no reason to break that tradition. And yet here he was, something about the young witch was incredibly persuasive. Perhaps he could use this to his advantage, after all, she had friends in high places.

A couple of hours later, Lucius smiled at the young witch across the table. Preparing the meal had not been as arduous as he had feared, and Hermione had just asking him about the politics of the Ministry. Her line of questioning surprised him, since he thought that the kind of learning you can earn from reading was all she cared about. Expounding upon some of the intricacies of his political knowledge, he noted she was surprisingly sharp.

"So the Unspeakables actually report not only the Minister, but several well-placed witches and wizards?" Hermione leaned towards him as if to listen more closely.

Pausing, Lucius leaned forward, the tips of his blond hair touching the wood of the table to mirror the enthusiastic witch. Up close, he admired her lovely pale skin and delicate curve to her nose. "Enough political discourse for one night my dear, I'm beginning to think this is all a rouse to get out of dancing with me"

Hermione giggled and shot him a cheeky wink. "How dare you accuse of such!"

"My dear, I will pick you up out of that chair if that's what it takes to get you moving" He glowered menacingly.

For a moment, she was perfectly still and wondered if she had taken offense. Then the witch stood and simultaneously pulled her wand out of her pocket and pointed it at his lap. "Accio belt"

Since the belt was looped around the rest of him, he was pulled roughly forward and struggled to find his footing. He found himself blushing slightly as he was instantly so close to Hermione and found it a rather pleasant sensation.

"Well you said you wanted me get moving" she said innocently.

Lucius was slightly surprised to find she was flirting with him, but was not altogether surprised that he enjoyed it. He smirked at her, and with an arm wound around slightly too low around her waist, he pulled her closer to him. As a bit of a revenge, he whirled her across the floor rather more quickly than he would have otherwise. She was better at it than she had been yesterday, but still got rather lost in her footwork. He guided her more smoothly, and as she relaxed and caught her breath, they slowed their pace. While they hadn't danced fast enough before to be out of breath, Lucius noted the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed heavily. Almost before he knew he had decided, he slowed them to a halt and pressed his lips, just barely, against hers. Inhaling softly, she pressed up against his lips needily in return. The glide of her lips, filled with lust, was intoxicating, but just before he could delve into them more deeply she pulled back.


	4. Snogging is in the Air

Chapter 4

**_A/N Thank you so much for all of the reviews, it really helps keep me writing! _  
**

Malfoy Manor

"Don't kiss me" Hermione told him, her brown eyes filled with intensity. "Unless you promise you won't let it get in the way of my work. I will still be in this house for a few weeks at the very least."

The witch was nothing if not dedicated to her work Lucius thought, and curiously practical. All he wanted right now was very thoroughly inspect her pretty mouth and think about the rest later. "You have my solemn word Ms. Granger" He said, bowing quite formally, but with an enticing smirk.

"Call me Hermione" She said breathlessly as Lucius pulled her close once again, and moved to kiss her pouty lips with the kind of slowness that builds a terrible need. By the time their lips touched, they were both breathing heavily in anticipation. Their kiss deepened as Lucius delved his tongue smoothly into Hermione's mouth, twisting and moving with her tongue as he tasted her sweet flavour. He let himself fall into just feeling, just sensing her and found himself consumed by need. With a measured step, he pushed her back into the wall as his hand rested on the side of her neck, his thumb pressing gently at her jawline. He shuddered as the witch moaned softly and tilted her face up to him which allowed him better access. Every muscle in his body was on fire, she felt so good against his body. Hermione, he liked the way her name sounded as he echoed in his head.

Gasping roughly, this time it was he who pulled away. "You're an enchanting woman Hermione" he said roughly.

"Don't stop" she breathed, grabbing at his collar to pull him in again.

He laughed, a choked painful sound "My dear, I feel I must bid you goodnight for the time being. As I said, you are enchanting, and I fear I shall lose all control if you stay any longer." His fingers twitched at his side. He wanted to do anything other than tell her to stop, but these things were best enjoyed when not rushed.

Hermione's face looked back at him with no attempt to hide her lust, through those heavy eyelashes, and he very nearly lost the careful control that he prided himself in. Clearing her throat, she regained some composure. She bit the top of her lip as she thought something over. "I can't imagine you losing control, you're always so precisely aloof. What's it like when you do?"

Moving tantalizingly close to her ear, he replied in a low, harsh tone. "Perhaps you'll find out one day, my dear"

Cabin Somewhere on the Northern Coast

Draco gasped in pain as the unruly Unwhal that he had been attempting to catch in his net touched him with its horn, a horn which had turned a dark shade of blue. He was shaking in pain and nearly dropped the net with creature in it. With a toss of its head, the creature brushed its horn along Draco's arm once more, and this time Draco felt his vision start to get blurry and his grip on the net loosened. He tried to call out, but he was currently swimming near the bed of the sea, many feet down. While he and Luna had had enough gillyweed to be able to breathe for some time underwater, it didn't help his current predicament as he felt himself start to get weaker.

A flash of light appeared before him, and Draco tried to make sense of its sudden appearance. The light flashed again, closer to the net, pulsing softly as it floated. The Unwhal slowed its wild thrashing a bit, and as the light continued, blinked its eyes in apparent drowsiness. Luna's face bobbed in front of him then, floating in front of him calmly. Her webbed fingers grasped the net, pulling it gently from his hand. As Draco attempted to look as though he had always had the situation under control, she reached out with her other webbed hand and wrapped it gently around his, pulling him to the surface.

The breeze was a chill slap on Draco's face as they surfaced, Luna looking absurdly calm as the current wobbled them back and forth. While they caught their breath, Draco felt a bit embarrassed at his rescue at the hands of a woman, and one his own age at that. "You needn't have bothered, I had everything under control," he told her loftily.

Laughing softly, Luna said nothing as she made her way to shore. The skin-tight suit she wore, enchanted to be warm even in these Northern seas, highlighted her every curve as she climbed onto dry land. The witch had grown from the awkward school girl he used to know and he had to admit to a growing fascination with her. If he had to be stuck out here with someone, she certainly wasn't the worst companion he could have ended up with.

"Your webbing turned out better than mine" Catching up to her, he held his webbed hands up to hers, to show that hers had considerably more growth. His own webbing was slightly patchy, and lacked the thickness of Luna's.

"Oh that, I helped them out a bit with a spell I know. The Gillyweed made them grow, but I added a double layer so they'd work better in this choppy water." Luna said casually, as if it were the easiest bit of magic she had ever done. When he had first noticed that certain spells came to her effortlessly, spells that others found complicated, he had felt a little threatened. While he had matured from his days of bullying, some old habits die hard. But the more he spent time with the lively witch, the more he came to admire and respect her abilities.

"Can you teach me?" He asked.

Luna turned to him, smiling in a way that made him feel vulnerable. "Of course"

After Luna deposited their first Unwhal in one of the enchanted ponds that they had made and ensured that it was comfortable, they settled into the cabin for the evening. Luna seemed pleased to have been able to catch one of the creatures, even though Draco felt that four days had been a long time to catch just one. The two settled onto the sofa with the dinner that Luna had prepared, and Draco lit cozy fire under the hearth. While they consumed their dinner, they sat in companionable silence. He found it strange to feel so at ease around a woman, and even stranger to not feel the need to fill the silence with his usual boasting. The witch was intelligent, and her playful banter had kept his spirits up these last few days as their friendship grew.

"How many Unwhals are you hoping to catch?" Draco asked finally, watching the reflection of the flames illuminate Luna's pale face and waves of blonde hair.

"Well, tomorrow I'll try my luck in communicating with the creature to learn more about it. I'm hoping to learn more about them so that during our next diving session we can catch a few more. I'm hoping to have about ten total, but it really depends on how well they acclimate in captivity. I don't want to rush things, I want to know how to keep them so they are comfortable. Whether we can take them back with us will really be up to them"

"You think they won't do well being kept like this?" Draco asked, more than a bit alarmed that all of their efforts could lead to nothing.

"I think they'll let us know if it's something they want" Luna said seriously.

"But what if, what if we spend all this time here and go back with nothing?"

"We've already learned more about these creatures, even with just the one. If they don't want to go back, at least we can write a thorough report on their behaviors and capabilites" Luna said as Draco cleared their dinner plates. He rummaged about the cupboards for a bottle of Firewhiskey that he thought he remembered seeing earlier as she went on. "I know the Ministry might be disappointed, but the creatures' happiness is more important to me than anything else. But you know, I think we can win them over. And I can just imagine how much good they could do if we can bring them back. I can picture a sad patient a St. Mungo's dealing with depression and having one of these as a companion to bring some happiness and comfort to them"

Draco found the Firewhiskey and poured two glasses. As he handed a glass to Luna, he remarked. "You're so optimistic about something with no guarantee"

"If we did everything only with a guarantee of success, we'd never accomplish anything." Luna said, sipping her drink. "I think that's the fun in life, how we thrive. We've got to take chances sometimes"

Staring into the fire, Draco swirled the liquid in his cup. "I haven't taken very many chances in life. I've always been told what I should do, what was expected of me. Sometimes I wonder if I can."

She turned to him, catch him with luminous eyes. "You took a chance with Voldemort"

He didn't say anything for a moment, he thought a lot about what had happened then and he didn't feel very brave. Really, he should have made his choice the moment that his conscience started to tell him to, but he was caught up at the time in the idea of power. "Ultimately, I did, but you know, I couldn't make any other choice in that situation when the time came, so that doesn't really count."

"Of course it does, I know that wasn't an easy choice for you. I can tell you'll take more chances, for the better. You'll be a great wizard you know."

Draco's face twisted into a half-smirk, he was surprised she believed in him so much, while knowing him very little. "I very much doubt that"

"You just need to practice. What's something you can take a chance on now. Something small?"

He drained what was left of his Firewhiskey, saying nothing. Then he leaned forward, and timidly pressed his lips to Luna's. His pulse raced, he hadn't kissed a witch since his Hogwarts days, and thrill of this was nothing like that. He started to pull away, just as Luna pulled him for a deeper kiss. Her hands rested gently on the nape of his neck, as her clever tongue darted between his lips. She tasted good in his mouth, like whiskey and a little honey, and she began languidly twisting her tongue around his, and the slow, steady feel of her made him lose all track of time. He breathed in the smell of her, earthy and floral, while his hands wrapped around her slender body.

"See, some chances pay off right away" She said, giggling softly. He pulled her closer, wanting the feel of her lips on his, and she eagerly pressed her soft lips on his. She came up for air with a playful smile and pushed him backwards on the sofa until he lay flat. Following him, she pressed her body over his, the swell of her breasts pushing against his chest. Draco cupped her face in hands, and thrust his tongue gently into her mouth, losing himself again in her touch. He savored their tender kisses, as she moaned softly against him. He'd never known what exquisite experience just kissing could bring, with the previous witches he'd been with he'd been too eager skip over that part in an effort to grab a handful of breasts.

When finally their kisses slowed further, Luna bit his bottom lip. The pressure was just enough to almost hurt but was gentle at the same time. He almost yelped in surprise before realizing just how much he had liked it. Smiling up at her, he brushed a lock of flaxen hair out of her eyes, tucking it behind her ear. "This might be one of the best decisions I've ever made" He watched as she smiled softly, noting that her heavy-lidded eyes looked a bit tired. "But we'd best get some rest if you want to wrestle fearsome Unwhals tomorrow" he said teasingly.

With a last soft press of her lips to his, Luna shuffled off to her room, before looking back over her shoulder. "Good night Draco"

"Good night Luna" he smiled back. He poured another glass of FIrewhiskey and stared into the flames. What a strange twist his life had taken, if anyone told him when he was back in school that he would soon be shuffling around outdoors, wrestling strange sea creatures and definitely enjoying snogging a Ravenclaw who everyone said was odd, he would never have believed them. He found he was excited that for once his life wasn't pre-scripted for him, well excited and scared. With a smile a thought of Luna's lips on his, he finished his drink and found the way to his room.

Malfoy Manor

The pots on the stove blazed as Lucius attempted to cook dinner. The nearest pan began smoking as sauce bubbled up over the lid. Fuming, Lucius blasted the offensive cooking implement with his wand, causing it slid to the back of the oven, then ricochet forward directly on to the floor. The hot liquid burned burned his arms, and splattered all over his trousers. With a string of curses he stalked angrily around the kitchen. I can't do this, he thought.

Snapping his fingers, he uttered Whispy's name and summoned her to the kitchen. He knew Hermione would not approve if she knew, but he was too exasperated and tired to care. That witch was alluring, and he wanted to have her. He would have her, he just needed to exercise a little patience. The hungry glances she had sent him throughout the last couple of days told him that she wanted him as well.

His house elf appeared just then, dragging his thoughts back to the mess in his kitchen. "Whispy, I need you to clean up this mess...please. And finish this dinner also."

Looking alarmed, the small house elf surveyed the kitchen. "Master, Whispy will clean immediately. But Whispy could clean this all faster if she had help, let Whispy ask her new friends"

Lucius paused, looking down at his splattered clothes. He was a frightful mess and now there was laundry to be done as well. But if Hermione found out that he had not only used his house elf to do chores, but the visiting ones as well, she would almost certainly be quite angry. As he pondered, he smelt a burning smell and looked to see the rest of their dinner was still cooking and was beginning to look quite charred. "Very well Whispy, just be quick and don't let Hermione Granger see you."

A short time later, Lucius had changed his outfit and was striding back to the kitchen. The house elves were hard at work, though it looked as though they would be done soon. He contemplated paying them, but decided that this could just be a trade for sheltering them and providing a learning environment. He made his way towards his wine cabinet to pour a drink for himself and the lovely witch who should be joining him shortly. The two nearest houselves, a thin one with a rather long nose, and shorter, slightly more pale hopped up and immediately prevailed upon him to sit down and they would pour the drinks. He sighed in relief, feeling some of the strain of a long,difficult day leaving him. From the early morning until now, he had been helping Hermione in her efforts to educate the elves by running various errands, arranging the preparation of various rooms for demonstrations of trades, and being Hermione's assistant. He couldn't remember the last time he had done so much physical labor that did not involve being in a gym or a witch. Taking a sip of wine, a chill ran down his spine as he heard the dining room door open.

Dressed in tight, black dress that did not fail to show off one inch of her splendid curves, stood Hermione. Her usually intense expression was twisted further into something that Malfoy could only interpret as anger. "WHAT THE FUCKING HELL ARE YOU DOING?" Her unusually sharp voice bristled in rage and a muscle in her temple flashed as she ground her teeth. "LUCIUS MALFOY, TELL ME WHY THE FUCK YOU HAVE MY STUDENTS, WHO JUST SPENT ALL DAY WORKING HARD AT THEIR LESSONS, CLEANING AND MAKING DINNER WHILE YOU SIT THERE, WITH A FUCKING GLASS OF WINE IN YOUR HAND"

"Hermione, I-"

"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ANY OF WHAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO SAY, SO SHUT THE FUCK UP." Striding in long steps towards the center of the room, she softened her voice as she addressed the house elves., who were all staring at her with big saucer eyes "Don't be frightened, I'm not angry at all with you. Just remember, you always work for pay now. Sometimes a wizard might ask you to do something "just this once" or "as a favor" and those will be the hardest situations for you to say no in, but it is very important that you still require payment, if you choose to do the job at all. Do you understand". The house elves all nodded sheepishly, and began putting away their tools. "Now, I'll see you in the morning, and I'll teach you what a contract is"

She smiled encouragingly at the elves until they had all shuffled off to their rooms. Lucius had been enjoying watching her, the witch was someone more beautiful when upset and he longed to see her fiery passion at work in the bedroom. An uncomfortable erection pressed against his trousers, and he prepared a convincing speech. "I'm-"

"Don't you dare!" she snapped. "I can't think of any excuse that would make forgive what you've just done. You've set back my work, to a terrible degree, by showing not only your house elf, but all of the house elves, that it's okay to do work for free if a wizard just really needs their help. And here I thought you were making progress at being an actual adult and preparing us a meal. I don't have anything else to talk to you about. Goodnight."

For once, Lucius Malfoy knew that words would do him no good, and bowed apologetically as Hermione turned on her heels and stormed out. What was this witch doing to him, he actually did feel sorry about what he had done, and not just because it ruined any chance of enjoying the witches company tonight. Maybe he did need to work harder, he thought. The other, more sardonic part of him chastised himself for being so weak. Lucius Malfoy was a sophisticated man, and well used to certain way of life. Who was she to tell him that he was wrong? Feeling more conflicted the more he sat in the silent, dark room, he drained the wine glass and picked up the rest of the bottle to take with him to his bedroom.

Hermione couldn't remember a time that she had felt so angry. All of her hard work over the past several days had just been undermined by Lucius Fucking Malfoy She knew that he knew better, she had told him multiple times how important this was to her and what some of the obstacles were. He had even been with her the whole time throughout these last few days, watching her struggle to teach the elves about autonomy and confidence. And only half her anger was actually about the consequences to her work, she was also angry that all the progress that Lucius seemed to be making personally was clearly just a lie. He didn't care about being self-sufficient and didn't have any intentions of giving up his house-elf, he just cared about what he thought she wanted to hear. And she had fallen for it, she thought angrily.

Still consumed in angry thoughts, she drew herself a bath and poured a tonic of a deep purple liquid that would relax her a bit. Before she could step into the warm water, she was interrupted by the peck of an owl at her window. Letting it in, the bird landed softly on her shoulder and she untied the message from its leg. Harry's handwriting jumped out from the page, and she thought about how much she was beginning to miss the outside world.

'Moine,

Ron and I are just writing to check on you, is Malfoy treating you okay? How is it going with the House Elves, are you making any progress? You must have your hands full between your new students and dealing with that git. Neville told us about the party coming up, we are definitely there!

P.S. We sent you some of George's trick candy, in case you want to leave some out for Malfoy haha

-Harry

The letter brought a smile to her face, although it did nothing to calm her anger since the tonic apparently hadn't kicked in yet. Harry was still one of her closest friends, although she thought of him as brother after all they'd been through. Since Harry was rarely outside of Ron's company, she and Ron had had to learn how to put up with each other's company for Harry's sake after their rather messy breakup. It was sweet of the two to check up on her, although it did make her feel slightly loney, isolated as she currently was. She tossed a dehydrated mouse treat to the tawny owl as she picked up a quill to write her response.

Dear Harry and Ron,

The two of you had better be keeping out of trouble without me there to keep an eye on you. I'm up to my eyeballs in teaching, I've had some setbacks, but overall things are going well. The party is soon, I'm so glad you'll be there. Someone has to make sure these pureblood wizards don't talk about their family trees all evening. I'm lining up a surprise for the evening though, I'm asking an equal number of house elves to attend, and they will be dining with us instead of serving us. I'm a bit nervous of course, as that will be a real test for them, I hope they can handle it. Don't tell anyone else about that though, I want to try to catch the other guests off guard, to unsettle them a little so they will really think about their choice to keep their own elves. Thank you for the candy, though I'm not sure Lucius Malfoy ever puts anything that isn't made by a house elf in his stomach. That man is something else! Well, I've a busy day tomorrow, looking forward to seeing you soon though.

-Hermione

After sending the owl on its way, Hermione slipped out of her clothes and settled into the bath. She took another sip of the tonic and leaned her head back to try to relax. She was still quite angry and although she had ample reason to be she finally had to admit to a third reason for being upset. She had been rather hoping that whatever was going between her and Lucius might progress further tonight. Of course, there was no way she would act on that now, but as she lay in the bath with her eyes closed, she recalled the passionate kiss they'd had. The way he pushed her up against the wall was passionate and felt her nether regions twist up in desire when she thought about it. With a low groan, she moved to touch herself, sliding fingers across her folds in smooth motions. She thought of powerful, yet careful way he had touched her face and neck, and her rubbing because more intense. Breathing heavily, she stroked over and over, all the while thinking of Lucius until she came undone, orgasming forcefully against her fingers. Finally relaxed, she got out and settled herself into bed, feeling both relieved and angry at herself for allowing herself to think of Lucius that way. That man was definitely trouble.


	5. A Day Off & Cooking Lessons

Chapter 5

_A/N I've had to replace my previous chapters due to a typo. Lesson learned here, no matter how much you proof-read, proof again. Anyway, it made this chapter a little late so thanks for waiting while I got everything sorted out. Reviews, as always, highly appreciated. Thank you to the kind reviewer of the last chapter who told me about my spelling errors. _

Northern Coast Cabin

The smell of fresh coffee reached Luna's nose, its bitter sweet aroma a heaven-like scent. Turning softly as the vestiges of sleep cleared and she started to slowly awake. Sitting up, she found a tray of breakfast meats and fresh fruits on the table next to her bed, with the steaming coffee mug set within arms reach. A silly grin spread across her face as she realized who had left her such a treat. The past few days had been glorious, with her and Draco exchanging playful kisses nearly every chance they got. The work with the Unwhals had kept them rather busy though, and their relationship hadn't developed into anything more serious.

Munching on a slice of a strawberry, Luna mentally inventoried their progress so far. They now held captive around five Unwhals, and the creatures seemed to understand what the witch asked them to do, although it was fairly hard to tell for sure. What was clear though was that she could get them to turn their horns to a color that elicited favorable emotion by stroking just along the dorsal fin. She still wasn't sure whether or not the Unwhals enjoyed their time around humans, and so the two were not even close to leaving. Besides, she wanted a more clear idea of how to communicate before she would feel ready to try to take them anywhere, even if they did prove to be willing.

Yawning, Luna polished off her coffee and headed into the shower. Humming to herself, she thought of taste of Draco's lips on hers. Today was a day off, which they both needed after all of their hard work. She had declared her intention for neither of them to work on this day the previous night at dinner, and she wondered what Draco's plans for the day where. It was really too long of journey to get to the nearest wizarding village easily, but she supposed he could apparate. Luna shuddered, she hated apparation and preferred to use almost any other source of transportation. As she dried off and dressed herself in a flowery sundress, Luna pondered the possibility of taking a nice hike to a nearby lake.

"Good Morning" Draco greeted her, his eyes looking hopeful somehow, as she walked out into the living room. "What adventures are you getting up to today?

"Oh, nothing too exciting, I just thought I might enjoy a nice walk to the lake that's nearby" Luna said, settling onto the couch beside him.

"It's a lovely day for it, I'm sure you'll enjoy some time to yourself"

"What are you up to today?" she asked, smiling sweetly up at him.

"I didn't really think too much about it, I suppose I could wander around Mugbane. I know its a magical village, and even though I've never heard of it there must be something interesting there." Draco said this casually, a little too casually. Luna chuckled inwardly to herself, but kept her poker face on.

"Well, if you fancy some time outdoors instead, you're welcome to go with me to the lake"

"Yes! Er-I mean as long as you're okay spending your day off with me" Draco said in a burst, his aristocratic training completely failing him as it was obvious how much he wanted to go.

"Oh, I think I could tolerate you. I mean, it'll be a struggle but I can manage" Luna teased.

The two dissolved in giggles when Luna burst into laughter at the injured expression on his face and he joined in when he realized, too late, that she was joking.

Azure skies held just a few fluffy clouds, and the sun was warm on their backs when they reached a small meadow on a hill overlooking the lake. The trees above them cast a spotted reflection on the soft grass that they sat on. For awhile they sat there, enjoying the view. Luna thought it was odd that the Muggles never visited here, it must just be that no one had ventured over, or maybe there was an old repelling spell that she didn't know about. Either way, they were quite alone out here. Turning her gaze slightly to look at Draco, she noted the broad set of his shoulders which had filled out since their Hogwarts days, and the swell of muscles on his arms that showed he regularly put in some time at the gym.

Hitching her breath in excitement as she acted on an idea she'd been having, she started to untie the straps at the top of her dress. The slight breeze made her nipples tightened as the sun shone on her bare breasts. Looking over, she noticed that Draco had finally turned from the lake to stare at her, eyes widening in surprise. His pale face turned a slight shade of pink as their eyes locked. Hesitantly Draco leaned over, and carefully kissed her with needy lips. He carefully reached out and with the lightest touch of his fingers, caressed the area between the swells of her breasts.

Luna smiled inwardly at the inexperience she guessed Draco to have now. Really, she would have thought he had been with multiple witches, the way he was always carrying on about it at school. She moaned softly into his kisses, twisting her body slightly press one of her perky breasts against his hand. This seemed to embolden him and reached forward eagerly, softly cupping both breasts in his hands and giving them light squeezes. Luna broke their kiss, pressing her nose against Draco's as he continued to touch her bosom, using his thumbs now to circle over her nipples, stimulating them until they hardened in desire. His face was a mix of absolute concentration and wonder, a look Luna found incredibly attractive.

Grabbing her wand, she raised it slowly at Draco and with a whispered spell, his shirt began lifting over his head and the button on his trousers came undone. He was slightly taken aback, but recovered by returning his lips to hers, his tongue plunging greedily into her mouth and smoothly ran his hands down her spine, pulling their bodies close. Luna moved straddle him, folding her knees to either side of his lap and felt his member pressing hard against her stomach. Reaching down, she used her fingers to slowly pull the zipper of his trousers down, freeing his erection and stroking it deftly. Draco reacted vigorously, groaning loudly in pleasure and she rather thought if she continued she might not get to have all the fun she wanted with him.

Once again she broke their kiss, pulled away to catch her breath. The pale blue eyes staring back at her had lost their normally steel tone, and were filled with intensity. Not breaking her gaze, Luna rearranged her skirt and slowly lowered onto his rather sizable shaft. The feeling of him filling her pussy was exquisite. She watched as his face contorted into a look of pure pleasure as he tried to control himself. With a soft moan, she began to move up and down on his hard cock, riding him slowly, taking in the full length of him. He had his hands on her waist, moving along with her motions, until she gently grasped them and pulled them up to her heaving breasts. Understanding what she wanted, he began kneading the soft flesh, taking particular care to tease her nipples. This was ecstasy and she arched her back and began to ride him harder, feeling his shaft hit her most sensitive places with every stroke.

Her efforts were too much for Draco, and with a strangled moan he came. In turn, this pushed Luna over the edge as well, her wet pussy tightening in a strong orgasm. With a contented sigh, she lifted herself off of Draco's still-hard cock and laid down next to him. They laid there for awhile, and he pulled Luna's body close to his. As they lay there entwined, Luna brushing her fingertips down the soft skin of chest, and found herself very glad she'd asked him on a walk today. He was a bit inexperienced, but he had the makings of an excellent lover, she thought.

"Luna" he said, breaking the silence.

"Yes, Draco"

"Is it always like that" he asked, a bit timidly.

Luna snapped her head up in surprise, her eyes widening slightly. "Was this..was this you first time?"

Draco shifted uncomfortably. "No, no of course not. It's just, I've only actually been with one witch before you and...and it wasn't like this at all"

She smiled and kissed him slowly, languidly and traced her fingertips from his navel down lower. "You know, with the right instruction, I think it could be even better next time" She giggled softly as she watched a look of eagerness spread across his face.

Malfoy Manor

A bead of sweat formed on Lucius' forehead, and his muscles ached from exertion. With one last push of the rolling pin, he flattened out what would be the top of the pie crust to the correct thickness. All week, he had worked extra hard in assisting with the house elves. This morning, Hermione had him serving the house elves as they ran a rehearsal of the dinner party. She seemed to think it was a twist of karma, and had made them run through everything a few more times than it seemed like they had needed to. The smile on her lips when she made him pour tea for the umpteenth time confirmed his suspicions.

Despite the extra work he was putting in, the witch was cool and distant to him. Every day after their efforts with the house elves was done, he would ask her politely to dine with him, and every day she had said no and retired to her room for the rest of the evening. Tired and lonely, Lucius had sat up at night trying to think of ideas to get himself back in her good graces. Then a couple of nights ago, he had had an idea. An idea he was sure would work, if only he could execute it correctly.

And so, he had spent the last couple of nights, politely wishing Hermione good night and then had gone straight to the kitchen. He mastered fairly quickly the main course, but felt a good dessert would really impress her. Unfortunately, baking had turned out to be a completely different venture than cooking, and he had ruined multiple pies. Tonight thought, things were looking good. He had procured some of the sweetest cherries he had ever tasted and the crust he made tonight was not falling apart before he could even get the pie assemble. As he slid it into the oven, he thought about the next part of his plan, in which he would need to lure her down to the kitchens

After setting the table and ensuring the main course, a delectable pasta with fire-roasted tomatoes, was ready and would stay warm under a magical enchantment, he checked back on the baking dessert. The crust was a perfect golden brown and looked to be cooked all the way through. He cast a warming enchantment on it as well and then went to his rooms to change into a non-flour covered outfit. Buttoning the crisp buttons of his shirt, he made his way up the stairs to Hermione's room. Knocking urgently, he called her name. "Hermione, I need your help"

"I'm busy at the moment" her voice clipped back.

"It's, it's one of the house elves" he answered

There was a slight pause, and Hermione hesitantly cracked open the door. "What about one fo the house elves?"

Looking relieved, although not for the reason she thought, he replied. "There's a house elf in the dining room, and I think its sleep walking. It won't stop polishing the silver and when I tried to shake it slightly to wake it up, it wouldn't respond. Calling to it didn't wake it either and I' under rather strict guidelines not to let any house elves do any work under my roof:"

He managed a slight smirk as she swished past him down the stairs. "I'm not in the mood for any nonsense tonight" she huffed as she rounded the corner to the dining room. She stopped in her tracks right in front of him as she noticed the perfectly laid out meal on the table. "Lucius, a house elf better had not have made this dinner."

"No, no my dear, I prepared all of this from scratch, recalling the lessons you taught and with a little research of my own."

Hermione circled around the table, looking with suspicion as if she thought Whispy might be hiding beneath the table. "And the house elf story?"

"I do confess, I did tell a slight untruth before, there have been no house elves out of bed" He strode around the table and pulled out a chair beside her so that she could take a seat.

The witch stared at him for a moment, as if deciding something, then allowed him to push the chair in as she settled into it. "I'm still angry at what you did." She paused, took a breath and then continued, "But I have to admit that the stress got to me and I overreacted a bit. I apologize for the severity of my reaction."

Lucius sat across from her and straightened his place settings. "The blame was mine, I know how important the house elf work is to you, which I hope is apparent in my daily assistance. Had I thought the matter over further, I would have seen that it was wrong to allow them to work for me, even though the offer was theirs. It shall not happen again."

A smile warmed Hermoine's face, and she gazed at him through those dark eyes that Lucius found he had a weakness for. Picking up her fork, she tried a bite of the pasta. "Lucius, this very good pasta. We should have you cook for the upcoming dinner party" It felt like all of the color had drained from Lucius' face, until she started laughing at him. "I"m only teasing, I know you'll be too busy hosting to cook. Besides, I've already thought of that, I'll get a caterer"

"My dear, let me arrange that, I happen to have a contact with the very best catering company around"

"Don't tell me you know an expensive caterer, you, Lucius Malfoy have connections to such high society?" She said mockingly, a flirtatious smile forming on her lips.

"You shouldn't tempt me, my dear, in my restraint" he implied.

"Mr. Malfoy, I know you to be the utmost gentleman who would never dream of such things" she giggled at him.

Resisting the impulse to cross the table and kiss her passionately, Lucius rose to clear her plate. He paused as he reached for settings, and turned his face so that it nearly touched Hermoine's. "It's time for dessert,'' he purred in her ear, noting pleasantly that her skin flushed. He returned to the kitchen and brought her back a piece of his cherry pie. From the look on her face, he could tell it had turned out just fine indeed.

"Lucius, this pie is delicious. I can't believe you learned to do this, I never got so far as pies"

"I'm glad it is to your liking" he replied modestly, taking a sip of his scotch.

"Do you have any of the cherries left, they're my favorite" she asked as she finished the slice. As he went to the kitchen to gather the cherries, he felt as though she wanted to ask something more. "Lucius," she started softly, "do you really believe you can regain your place in the Ministry?"

He lifted one of his eyebrows in surprise as he set the plate in front of her. "How perceptive you are my dear, to have picked up on my aims"

"Well, I knew the old you would never have allowed a bunch of free house elves under your roof. I wondered when I first met you after the war, if you'd really changed sides, or if you were just playing your new role"

Lucius grew serious, and paused before replying. "I'd never admit this to anyone else, but at first, it was just a matter of survival in this new political climate. And then I thought of my son's future and what my actions would mean to him. He's growing into a fine young man you know." He took another sip of scotch before replying. "But he's doing remarkably well on his own, And his mother is gone from my life now too. And I'd never realized that in all my life, I'd never taken a break from trying to get ahead, where my intentions were moral or not. Without knowing it, I'd brought about my own catalyst for change by just agreeing to have you and the house elves here. So, to answer your question, I do think I can find a place in the Ministry again, but this time, I want it to be a place I can fit into without having to "play the role" as you put it."

As she pressed one of the cherries to lips, holding it by the stem, she took a slow bite out of it. Lucius did not think she was trying to be overtly sexy, but the way her lips wrapped around the red, juicy fruit was one of the most sexual things he had ever seen. "I admire you, Lucius, not everyone has the courage to realize they were wrong, and fewer still have the courage to try to build a new life after discarding all of their old beliefs."

"You give me far too much credit, Ms. Granger." he watched as she bit into another cherry, and he felt his self-control start to slip. He needed to be absolutely sure she wanted him before he pressed matters further. "Alas, I fear the hour grows late. Please enjoy as many of the cherries as you'd like. Thank you for keeping me company at my dinner table, I hope you enjoyed everything."

She nodded appreciatively, although she seemed to be slightly disappointed. "Thank you Lucius, for everything. Good night"

As Lucius climbed his way to his chamber, he couldn't get the image of Hermione's plump lips on the cherry out of his head, nor could he stop picturing how attractive those lips would look wrapped around his cock.


End file.
